Category Archives: Student Section

If you’re a geek for anything relating to comic books or superheroes, then do I have a workout for you! Not only is it quick and easy to execute, but it works out every muscle in your body, making it perfect for busy bees who want to stay in shape. The best part? The creator of the workouts, Neila Rey, based each of her fitness plans off of a famous superhero or comic book figure.

The Benefits of Neila Rey’s Workouts

I discovered these workouts while surfing my favorite social media site. I was immediately intrigued by the visual aid that was minimalist and easy to read.

Each exercise is accompanied by an instructional picture to help people (like me) that are visual thinkers.

It specifies how many times you should repeat each exercise to maximize caloric burn.

Works with muscular strength, cardiorespiratory endurance, flexibility, and core strengthening. Basically, your whole body will be in for a shock.

It takes up to 30 minutes, making it an aerobic exercise plan.

The best part, however, is the bottom banner, highlighted below.

It cleverly helps you out by explaining how many sets you should perform if you are a beginner, novice, or expert. Now, I am what you could consider…a lazy bum who can’t do more than 10 pushups a beginner. This workout program helps cater to my needs and holds my hand as I progress.

Plus, it’s entertaining to imagine that I’m a superhero training to fight evil.

To honor the newest superhero movie, X-Men: Days of Future Past (which is AMAZING, seriously you’re missing out if you haven’t seen it), I will be showing you the “Wolverine” workout. The link below is a PDF file that shows you the original image of the workout.

We could not get action shots, so I had to awkwardly stand there like a flamingo. The neighbors were amused.

Step Two: Squats (24)

The smile on my face says it all.

Step Three: Climbers (24)

Step Four: Raised Leg Push-Ups (10)

Luckily, she specified 10, which is my maximum capability.

Step Five: Shoulder Touches (10)

Step Six: Plank Jump Ins (10)

The photographer caught me mid-sentence complaining about this exercise.

Step Seven: Reverse Crunches (12)

Step Eight: Sitting Twists (12)

Step Nine: Flutter Kicks (24)

THE ENEMY.

Step Ten: Rest and Stretch

For someone who isn’t in stellar shape, these exercises are just challenging enough for me to sweat and burn. Wolverine sure does work his core! I repeat each exercise three times, with two minute breaks in between. At the end of the workout, I was sweating, but felt good. I also ran around the block a few times to let off steam and by the end, I was beat.

IN CONCLUSION

Neila Rey’s unique take on pairing everyday exercises into something both beneficial and pop culture savvy is something new and refreshing. She doesn’t just create superhero fitness plans either. She has more than 120 visual workout guides with a diverse selection of themes to suit all your geeky needs, like Fight Club, Hunger Games, BBC’s Sherlock, and Star Wars, to name a few. Her website has everything you need to work out in a time crunch, which is perfect for a busy student like myself.

Stay Healthy,

Adia

Bloopers:

Me throwing out my ankle after trying high knees. Don’t forget to stretch before and after, people!

“I’m so strong, you can’t even see my muscles!”

All credit goes to Neila Rey. To view Neila Rey’s workouts and other super cool stuff, visit her website at:

Like me you may want to know how to keep moving when you don’t want to…so here are my 10 favorites for motivation.

Be realistic

Unfortunately, first-time exercises come up with unrealistic targets that are too ambitious. Gerald Endress, fitness director of the Duke Diet and Fitness Center in Durham, N.C. says, “They want to go for maximal goals, but they tend to get overwhelmed.” Instead set more reachable goals that you know you can reach.

Keep Track of Your Progress

Use a chart progress to keep track of your progress. You could use a high-tech online tracker or a fitness journal. Seeing your own progress boosts your confidence and motivation to work harder.

Don’t Expect Perfection

Except that you will make faults and mistakes because it only will help you prepare mentally for setbacks. Be ready to know that you will miss a couple of days of exercising but don’t let that be an excuse that you are giving up.

Make it Convenient

Do what is necessary to remove on exercising and make it as convenient as possible. Try doing some at home exercises to DVDs instead of driving all the way to the gym if you are pressed for time or wake up early in the morning to exercise.

Forget the Past

Don’t let prior bad experiences with exercises stop you. Your target now is to stay healthy and enjoy your life.

Reward Yourself

Reward yourself for efforts made to exercise with something that you enjoy doing, like going to the movies. Think of what would motivate you to keep a mind-body connection. Or plan a trip to anywhere, like a botanical garden. It helps remind you that every time you enjoy yourself it is because of the good things you have done for yourself.

Don’t compare Yourself to Others

Don’t compare yourself to others because you are not them and they are not you. Don’t let them determine how you will exercise or what your target is.

Get support

The best thing to have is support. If there are people there for you and support what you are doing, it is the best thing in the world. Their support motivates you to do better for yourself and for them as well.

Find the Fun of it

Find some exercise you like to do and it will be fun for you. Find different places to exercise if you are not a gym person. If you like to exercise outside, then go walk through the neighborhood or go to a park. Just make sure to do something that appeal to your interest and it will help you stay engaged.

Break it up

Dividing your exercises in two or three different sessions makes it easier on yourself and said to be much more beneficial than one long workout. For example if you don’t like exercising for an hour split it up into four different workouts.

Three words to describe MECKids at the GetKidsMovin event. Exciting, engaging and energetic. MECkids had a blast!!! On Saturday, July 20, another GetKidsMovin event took place at the Stonebridge Potomac Town Center. The event was from 1pm to 5pm. The event started off with two fitness trainers who got the kids warmed up and ready to exercise. Throughout the event, there were ticket raffles after every hour and a participants had the opportunity to win a $25 gift card to Sports Zone. On the main message was an awesome puppet show to educate kids about being safe for example: “Don’t Talk to Strangers”, “Call 911”, “Stop, Drop and Roll”, etc. Chi Chi Monet performed with her sister Zoe her latest songs “No Bully” and “Move”. MECKids went up after one of Chi Chi’s performances.

We did what we do best and kept the kids moving with our stretches, workout, hula hoop challenges and contest. The kids go so excited over the hula hoops and were engaged in our activity. Next followed, Ms. Kena Hodges, licensed instructor, she got the kids moving with her Zumba exercises. She had three different dance routines: the Wobble, All I Do Is Win and an upbeat Spanish song. MECKids participated in the Zumba exercise and we had a blast. We didn’t feel like we were even exercising at all! The event ended with the fashion show and the kids were modeling Old Navy clothing and Sport Zone shoes. Some of the other GetKidsMovin team were Not Your Average Joes, Fruit Joi, Thrive, Sport and Health, Thrive, and Sports Zone.

Not Your Average Joes is a restaurant and they were giving out free samples of the foods they serve and free coupons. Sport and Health and Thrive were there talking to families on how they could assist in keeping their health and fitness lifestyles intact. Fruit Joi is a yogurt shop and they make their own healthy yogurts with the choices of different types of fruits and other yummy toppings. Lastly, I can’t forget Sports Zone who has carried out the entire event from the people there to the venue to their partnership with of Get KidsMovin.

The Biggest Loser is a hit television show started in 2004. The show features obese people competing to win a cash prize by losing the highest percentage of weight in comparison to their initial weight. On Sunday July 14th; Dan and Jackie Evans, mother and son duo from season five of The Biggest Loser hosted the 5, 10, 15k run walk event at Stadium Armory in Washington D.C. There was also a 1 mile race for younger kids that were interested in joining in on the action. The Biggest Loser Run Walk was a race that challenged America to get fit. MECKids was given the opportunity to volunteer at the event to motivate runners, pass out medals and get some cool information from the adults and kids on their experience at this event.

People came from all over the United States to participate in the run walk. “We came all the way from New Jersey to be in this race and become healthy strong Americans,” said Sal, volunteer and runner for the event. Jen and Benita, longtime fans of The Biggest Loser came to run with their kids, “We are beginning runners and the kids love staying healthy and fit. My son was actually allowed to run with me in the 10k. It’s a really great family opportunity.” Bridgette from Maryland said, “This was my second 5k, I ran a 5k a couple years back when I worked with a school for kids with autism. I think being healthy is the greatest thing you can ever give to yourself.” Even though the sun was beaming down, the runners looked accomplished as they crossed the finish line and received their medals.

I was able interview Dan and Jackie Evans, the national spokespeople for the biggest loser run walk and they each had very inspirational stories to tell. Jackie said, “Other than face book and other social sites like that, gatherings like these are probably the largest social things out there and it’s really all about you.” She commented that this run walk was an opportunity to better each one’s goals and have the feeling of accomplishment. When asked about her goals, Jackie emphasized, “One, I WILL cross the start and finish line today and two, I WILL be faster than anyone who stayed in bed today instead of coming here.” She mentioned the struggle to keep the weight off is great because food is used in all occasions, “I eat food when I’m hungry, when I’m down, when I’m celebrating; there’s no getting away from it.

The thing is knowing your limit and having will power.” She added that her son Dan is a great partner to work out and share encouragement with, “He was 310 and lost 136 pounds, but he hated the treadmill, he called it ‘Dread Mill.” Dan said, “Being on The Biggest Loser was so transformational and life changing. I went from being a couch potato kid to being able to run half marathons. It’s an incredible feeling to be such an inspiration to so many people and the journey of weight loss is so powerful you know. You have to respect the journey.” Dan joked that moving in with his mom again at the age of 21 for the show was kind of weird but it made their bond tighter because they were able to encourage each other.

The kids that ran the 1 mile race seemed so determined to complete the course, smiles and excitement shown on their faces from start to finish. Six year old Regan said, “I really liked that we got medals and I really liked the race.” One little boy remarked, “I really liked jumping in the puddles!” Ari Morton, a 10 year old from Rockville, Maryland won first place in the 10k on his birthday. “It was my first race, It felt good,” He said.

Overall, I believe this was a successful event. Everywhere I looked I saw smiles, laughter and encouragement from everybody. This event made me feel like I could run the next 5k because there were people of all shapes, sizes and ethnicities. Also the enthusiasm from the kids made me think, if they could do it I’m sure I can do it. Along with inspiring me to become more fit and healthy, being at this event allowed me to see that even though it may be tough; with the proper mentality and support fitness can be an enjoyable experience.

Sports helps you lose weight, while extreme diets can result in dramatic weight loss, and it is almost impossible to maintain a healthy weight when you begin eating normally again, states the American Council on Exercise. Combining a healthy diet with exercise is the only way to lose weight and keep it off, as it will burn the calories you consume. The government suggests that you work out for at least five hours each week to lose weight, and sports is a fun way to exercise to meet this goal. Sports can help manage stress and exercise is often prescribed by health professionals as a stress management too. ACE states that one exercise session can produce a feeling of relaxation lasting between 90 and 120 minutes. Many people do not enjoy going to the gym, so they will be less inclined to go regularly. Engaging in a sport you enjoy will ensure that you keep it up, making sure your stress management is sustainable. Sports can help you avoid disease, according to the American Psychological Association, exercise may slow the effects of aging and help ward off dementia-like illnesses. Health Talk Now states that exercise can also increase good cholesterol while decreasing bad cholesterol, and can help you avoid diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. High-impact, strengthening sports such as tennis, badminton, circuit training and running can help you avoid osteoporosis.

Stop with your bad habits, the other ones you might be able to just reduce. Habits in the “quit” category would be smoking, drugs, unsafe sex and other unhealthy addictions. There’s just no way to do any of these in a “healthy” way. It might take some time, but it’s worth it if you want to lead a healthy lifestyle. There are some habits that are not so bad, but can easily become a problem if taken too far. These include alcohol, sugar, caffeine, and junk food. Get your check up, get to your doctor for your annual physical just to make sure you are in your best health. If you have insurance, usually these services are covered, so take full advantage of your benefits. That being said know your own body so that you are aware when something seems awry. Get exams regularly even if you are healthy, so that if and when something is abnormal, you know. Sleep affects our physical and mental health tremendously, and many of us do not get enough. Lack of sleep adversely affects metabolism, mood, concentration, memory, motor skills, stress hormones and even the immune system and cardiovascular health. Sleep allows the body to heal, repair and rejuvenate itself in a way it simply cannot when a person is awake. Even if you just get out for a walk a few times a week, exercise is important for being fit and healthy. Cardiovascular exercise helps to strengthen the heart and lungs, while strength training helps to strengthen the muscles and stretching helps to reduce the risk of injury by increasing flexibility. Exercise also improves circulation and body awareness, and regular exercise can help with depression.

From the Olympics to Monday Night Football, sports brings us together as a society. No matter your race, gender, age, ethnicity, or religion, sports is our common bond. In times of racism and hatred, the American society use sports as a crutch. We can always lean on professional and even collegiate and high school sports for comfort. Professional sports has for what seems like forever had a strangle hold on the American society. It seems almost every day of the week there is a sport that we as Americans can watch and enjoy. Every day of the week we can watch baseball. On Friday nights we can watch boxing. Saturday we have college football and the NFL on Sunday afternoons. Sports unite America by the simple fact that on game day, your religion doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is the color of your jersey, not your skin. In the 1970’s when the only thing that mattered was whether you were black or white, baseball united us. Jackie Robinson and Hank Aaron threw race wars aside and brought America together with the love of baseball. Sports has and most likely will always be the common bond that all Americans share. In a country so diverse in almost every way, sports is our common bond.

I have recently had the wonderful opportunity to get an interview with Mobile Marketing & Broadcast Production Assistant of the Washington Nationals‘ Baseball Club, Oscar Bermudez, and he gave me some GREAT information about the Nationals that I believe a lot of baseball fans do not know. I’ve came up with questions that he gave amazing feedback on, and here is what he shared with MECKids:

Oscar Bermudez: The NatMobile has been in existence since August 2009.

DG: The NatMobile has made such wonderful contributions to support health and fitness for youth and families. What is the NatMobile’s overarching mission in the community and what kind of impact has it made?

Oscar Bermudez: Our mission is to spread the joy and excitement of the Nationals out into the community. Many of our fans only experience this feeling when they come to our stadium, Nationals Park, but we spread the excitement out on the road, not just at the stadium. We have realized that we have gained more fans and generated more love for the Nationals by us being able to take our excitement out into the community.

DG: What is your favorite part of being a member of the Nationals organization & how has that inspired you?

Oscar Bermudez: My favorite part is always seeing the happiness of our fans when we take our NatMobile out on the road to an event and when I see the fans come to our stadium. Their reaction and joy is contagious and it makes me feel so proud to know that we, as an entire organization, are able to bring this type of enthusiasm into their lives. I feel inspired to continue being a good employee in order to see the smiles in our fan’s faces.

DG: What are your thoughts about this season’s prospects and new players?

Oscar Bermudez: I think we have one of the best teams in Major League baseball this year. They have a lot of talent and 90% of the team members are back this year, so they know how to play together as a team. Our new players are very experienced and should be able to blend in easily with the players that we already had from last year.

DG: What is your favorite motivational quote from any of the baseball players?

Oscar Bermudez: My favorite motivational quote comes from our Left Outfielder, Bryce Harper, who stated that, “hustle and hard work comes from within and you have control over it.” Basically, meaning that even if you are not the smartest, fastest, or tallest player on the team, you can still work hard and hustle on every single play, because you control that and can show great energy each time you play.

DG: How did you decide on which new Racing President to add to the dancing mascots?

Oscar Bermudez: I am not sure how our new Racing President, Robert Taft, was chosen, but I can say that he was a very well liked and respectable President in his time in office, and I am very happy with the choice.

DG: What inspirational words do you have for young aspiring baseball players?

Oscar Bermudez: My advice would be to always work hard and never give up at the goal you have placed in your heart. No matter how hard the challenge, goal, or task is, always do your very best to accomplish it. It does not matter if you fail at it, just do your best and you will never have any regrets. Do your best and never give up. If you win, win like a champion, but if you lose, lose like a champion.

After interviewing with Oscar Bermudez, I got a very inspirational lesson in what “Natitude” is all about and his words of wisdom can motivate youth and families everywhere in living a healthful, fruitful and successful lives.

The UDC Capstone Fashion Show took place May 3rd, 2013. I was a model in the show. I have modeled in the past but I took a long break. This was like a pedestal for me to start modeling again. I had to be there by 3:00pm even though the show began around 7:00pm. It takes lots of time and preparation to get ready for a show. Being a model is actually harder than people think because it takes discipline. A model’s health is a crucial factor. Building the proper muscle tone and eating the proper foods helps a model’s body. Models need to exercise and have a proper diet that helps maintain themselves. Walking in heels is a challenge because it requires balance, strength and coordination. I was a little bit worried about the runway because it was a high runway which made me almost touch the ceiling with my heels and my hair in a bun. However, my hair was almost 2 inches away from touching the ceiling so I was good. In the fashion show, we modeled clothes from Gap. After the show, we mixed, mingled, and networked with other fashion-associated individuals.

Rockstar Health & Fitness is an online show that teams host Lori Rischer with celebrities for the purpose of delving into their health, diet, and fitness routines. Rockstar H&F (shot in the Hollywood Hills, CA) takes us deeper into the healthy habits of the celebrities; sharing their health tips, and giving us an inside look at how they stay healthy and fit even with their busy schedules. It’s created by Lori Rischer and Sera Roadnight and produced By SkeeTV.

About Lori Rischer

Lori Rischer’s philosophy is that living a healthy lifestyle is all about balance. “It’s easier to be happy when you’re healthy”, says Lori, “and when you’re happy, you’re a nicer person.”

Her journey began when she started doing yoga and noticed her own life and health improved. She wanted to share that experience with other people so she became a teacher. Lori was certified as a Yoga Therapist at Loyola Marymount University with Dr. Larry Payne in their renowned yoga therapy program. She also received a teaching certificate from Earth’s Power Yoga in Los Angeles.

“I’ve always been active, but as I got busier I realized it was harder to find time to take care of myself,” she says. And no truer words could be spoken! Lori has kept incredibly busy as a national radio promotion/marketing executive at Island Def Jam Music Group, working closely with superstars such as: Rihanna, Bon Jovi, Justin Bieber, Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, Neon Trees and Taio Cruz.. She also spent several years at The Firm, one of Hollywood’s top management companies based in Beverly Hills, While there, she signed OneRepublic and was on the management teams of mega artists such as Enrique Iglesias, OneRepublic, Ice Cube, Mandy Moore, Korn and many others. Her work has been widely recognized by the music industry. In fact, she was named the 2010 Promotion Executive Trendsetter by FMQB Magazine and the 2010 Executive of the Year by SIN Magazine.

Combining two of her passions– Music & Yoga– Lori teamed up with KIIS-FM and 98.7 (KYSR) to be the Yoga instructor for their popular Yoga On The Pier and Yoga On The Beach summer promotions for the last three years. The series has been named Huffington Posts’ “Five Best Summer Workouts” and was featured in the LA Times, Malibu Magazine, LA Yoga Magazine, Pepperdine Times. “It is the highlight of my summer!” Lori exclaims.

Lori is also the co-creator, co-executive producer and host of the new celebrity health and fitness show from SkeeTV, Rockstar Health & Fitness. “Everyone is interested in people who are in the public eye, so we found an opportunity with Rockstar Health and Fitness to focus on some of their healthy lifestyle secrets,” Lori says. The guest artists include: Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy), OneRepublic, Canadian superstars Hedley and Kim Glass a 2008 Olympic silver medal winner.

Giving back to the community is another important way Lori wants to create balance and a healthy lifestyle. She supports a number of charities that are very close to her heart. In 2008, Lori received the highest honor from the Make A Wish Foundation, the Chris Greicius Celebrity Award, for her work in helping make wishes come true. She has also lectured at the Make A Wish Worldwide Conference. Additionally, in 2008 she was inducted into the Mentor Hall of Fame and this year, she completed her ninth year as a volunteer working with inner city teenagers for Youth Mentoring Connection. She is also on the Leadership Council for A Place Called Home, a community center in South Los Angeles for at-risk youth. The Los Angeles City Council recently honored Lori for her contributions in making the city a nicer place to live.

The DC TapFest 2013 was an exhilarating evening featuring an extravaganza of tap stars and special guests including Grammy Award winning singer, Mya, Emmy Award winner Jason Samuels Smith, the 7 year old tap dancing prodigy seen on Ellen, Luke Spring, stars of Broadway show Bring in Da Noise Bring in Da Funk, World-renowned Festival producers Chloe & Maud Arnold (soon appearing on Boardwalk Empire), and many more. I had the wonderful opportunity to interview with the Emmy Award winning tap star, Jason Samuels Smith, on his wonderful experience growing up in the dynamic world of tap and how it has enhanced health and fitness in his life in numerous positive and enriching ways. Here is what the tap star had to say on why “You Gotta Move!”:

“For tap dancing, you don’t need a lot of space to do it. I have been doing it since I was 7 years old so I have done it for about 26 years so far. Traveling is a big part of what I do. I have been to Brazil, Japan, China, Argentina and India. India is amazing! The culture there is so rich from food to their language. I love their spicy foods. I like to sweat when I’m eating their spicy foods and if that happens that means I’m happy. But I actually went out Bahati which is in Assam which is not far from Bengal so that is the closest I have been to Bangladesh. I worked with a Katak artist. Katak is a northern Indian style of dance and it is very similar to tap. They don’t wear shoes, vungudos, and they do storytelling. They do hand movements, neck movements, eyebrow movements and everything. I think the culture in India is the most amazing in the world. I have been there 8 times now. Any chance I get I will go back. I don’t think really that tap is only physically good, it’s like a language and everybody can appreciate it in the world whether they tap or they can do their own style of rhythmic dance but they can still appreciate the relationship tap has to music and music is universal.”

This was the last game of the regular season in the NHL, and a victory over the Capitals would earn them the Northeast Division Title and the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Boston Bruins lost to the Capitals (3-2) in over time. The Capitals had nothing at stake against the Bruins because they have already clinched the Southeast Division championship and made it as the No.3 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Capitals have to play the Rangers for the first round of the playoffs. It’s the fourth time in the past five seasons that the Capitals and Rangers meet in the post season. Milan Lucic and Andrew Ference put Boston ahead (2-0) before Alex Ovechkin assisted Mike Greens two goals with less then two minutes of the third period. Ovechkin didn’t get a goal himself, but he still leads in scoring. Green converted from nearly the same spot as his earlier goals to make the score (3-2) in 115 seconds. The Washington Capitals didn’t score in the first two periods but the Boston Bruins scored in the first and second. It was not until the third period that the Capitals scored two back to back goals to tie the game up and it was just enough to send them into overtime. In overtime, the Washington Capitals was just too much for the Boston Bruins. E. Fehr for the Washington Capitals scored the goal in overtime to make the victory over the Boston Bruins possible. For the Washington Capitals , M.Green, E. Fehr, and A. Ovechkin where the star players if the game. M. Green had 2 goals and 1 assist, E. Fehr had a clutch goal in overtime, and A. Ovechkin had two assists of the game. Next up is the New York rangers on Thursday , May 2nd.

The Get Kids Movin Tour featured a variety of fun festivities for kids to get moving, including a wonderful interview with phenomenal fitness experts such as the amazing soul singer, Green Tea and “Healthanista,” Tosh Patterson. Here’s the wisdom and fitness advice they shared with youth and families to keep them moving!

Green Tea: In the health industry, I’m a certified group exercise instructor. So I teach step aerobics and I teach strength resistance. I also counsel people on how to eat healthy and how to still eat cakes and pies while you’re doing your thing. If you stop once you have that little taste you start binging for it all the time when you aren’t eating the cakes and pies. I teach people how to do that, so that is what I do.

Tosh Patterson: In regards to what I do, I help people with two things. One, how to lose weight if you have been on a diet for a decade or more. I help people figure out how to keep the scale moving again, so that you have success and I teach people the power of juicing fruits and vegetables. I’m a huge juicer! So I love juicing and that is one of the ways I got healthy. I like to show people the power of juicing.

Interviewer: Many people think that healthy eating is more expensive, they think it’s nasty what do you ladies have to say about that? Tosh Patterson: Because I buy so many vegetables to juice them and eat them, it’s actually not expensive. As you buy more fruits and vegetables, you are probably buying less cookies and less chips and that money is going towards fruits and vegetables instead.

Green Tea: I would say that I have a group of seven: 3 kids, a husband, 2 cats, and 1 dog. So it can get expensive when you’re trying to eat healthier because you’ll notice that certain things cost a bit more if it is healthy. So if you go to Starbucks, the smallest size of cups they have is a short and nobody knows that. People think the smallest cup is a tall. The short is not even on the menu and sometimes the smallest size which is a regular 8 ounce cup cost the most because it’s a regular portion size for a cup; it sometimes costs more than a tall but it’s a healthier choice. So just an input from me, I always ask my clients how much they spend in the grocery store and if they say $200, I can relate to that because when I go grocery shopping every two weeks, I always get fresh produce. I don’t do anything boxed or any frozen veggies. I do everything fresh and I still get all of my stuff for $200. So, I teach my clients that with that $200 budget that you have when you’re buying hot pockets, pizza and steak and all that stuff you can still get fruits and veggies.

Interviewer: So what are some of your favorite meals and what are some snacks kids could make for themselves?

Green Tea: For snacks, I would say always keep live fruits or veggies in the house. I have a drawer in my house filled with tangerines, apples, kiwis and bananas something that is a go-to and always have that on you when you’re hungry. And here is what parents and kids could make for themselves, an english muffin pizza! What you do is get a light english muffin. The english muffin has two pieces, you add a little tomato sauce, sprinkle some reduced mozzarella cheese and put any size of turkey pepperoni. Let your parents help you put it in a toaster oven or regular oven for a couple of minutes so the cheese can melt. And as a result, the kids are happy because they have two pizzas when it’s really only one english muffin.

Interviewer: What would you suggest to some parents on meals that are affordable for children on a weekly basis?

Green Tea: I would say that I would keep in mind when I make dinner that I have protein, starch, and veggies. I try to keep that in mind all the time. So I can take some chicken breast, put it in the oven, season it a little bit, some cabbage and then have a veggie with it. So different things like that. So I try to think like that. Or if I want to do quesadillas I would do it with chicken and a little bit of cheese and then I’ll have a vegetable or a salad. So I always try to keep those things in mind: a whole bunch of vegetables, you have different options for your sides. You could have brown rice, you could have yellow rice if you want. You could have cabbage or cauliflower. All these different things so I try to keep them on the side. So I plan ahead of time. If you keep that in mind that you have a meat, you have a starch, and you have a veggie. If you have a whole bunch of veggies, a whole bunch of meats, sometimes kids get a little tired of chicken but you can do so much with chicken. Or one thing that I do that is very easy, you know how to cook cabbage, you can get some sweet Italian sausage and add it to the cabbage, so that is something really easy to do.

Other female: You guys won’t like this answer but I stopped eating fast food for the most part, a couple years ago, just as it has been for the effort to save money and it turned into a part of my lifestyle, so I really don’t eat fast food. But one of the things I stumbled on, I was cleaning my car and I found an old french fry from the Golden Arches and the french fry did not look a day old, at all. So, it really got my attention and I wondered why didn’t it have green mold on it? And why didn’t it look weird? And so I decided to do an experiment and if anybody in the audience wants to see it after this panel. But on Sunday March 31st, I bought a four piece chicken nugget meal from the Arches and it is still sitting on my counter untouched, unchanged. It does not smell and it’s sitting next to a cucumber that has completely shriveled up. It’s got nasty. It’s like mold and everything and it leads me to the conclusion that the fast food is not real food and it does not nourish us and it’s not worth spending our money on. If you want to see my project. I have pictures with me and so I would encourage people to move away from fast food because I don’t think it’s real food. Because if it’s like that on my counter, it hasn’t changed, its not green, its not moldy, it doesn’t smell, then what is it doing in my body. And do we want to put those thing in our bodies? I don’t think so! We want to nourish ourselves, we want to nourish our bodies and we want to be well, not just to look good and be a certain size but so we can live a healthy life and have a good internal body as well, and we only get one body!

Washington Nationals Wednesday night lineup against the Miami Marlins was the first game with Bryce Harper back from Flu like symptoms. Bryce Harper made himself available to hit late in last nights game in spite of the fact that he was battling flu like symptoms. Bryce Harper is the Washington’s Nationals 20 year old outfielder. His flu like symptoms kept his fellow outfielder, Denard Span, out of the Nats lineup in the second game of three against the Miami Marlins. They played at Marlins park in Miami. His teammates said that it looked as if he was about to die but he was ready to hit. He was pale as a ghost but still wanted to play. The Nationals lost to the Miami Marlins (8-2) a horrible loss against the Nationals in the series. The Nationals 2010 1 st round pick is back in the lineup tonight for the last game of the series against Miami Marlins. Span is still out, Roger Bernadina is back in the outfield tonight after going 0-4 with a grounder in the two hole last night. Bryce Harper and Steve Lombardozzi is at the top of the lineup. In 8 games so far this season, Lambardozzi is 6 for 16 with three doubles one the year. The game features Ross Detwiler on the mound against the Marlins in his third straight start of the season. After this game the Nationals are off to face the Mets in New York.

These days you got to have every pair of Jordan’s that releases or you are a nobody. To me I think you can go without the shoe it’s just a hype beast. I love shoes and I buy them a lot but Jordan’s are starting to come out almost every week now. This weekend there is a pair of Jordan’s called the Air Jordan’s 8’s, the eighth shoe that Michael Jordan released. The Air Jordan 8 was released during the 1992-93 “Three-Peat” Championship season. The Air Jordan 8 was the last Air Jordan shoe that Jordan wore before retiring the first time. The Bulls and Jordan won their third consecutive NBA title. Jordan himself got seventh straight scoring title and reached a milestone in his NBA career when scoring his 20,000th point. The Air Jordan 8 was one heavy hype beast. It’s base was clearly close to its predecessor but it had a lot more details, colors, and accents. It had cross- over Velcro leather straps and padded. The padding in the shoe was thick so it made the shoe heavy and easily got warm. The Air Jordan 8 was first retroed in 2003. Nike kept it short and sweet with the Air Jordan release. It was only 4 color ways released in total. The Air Jordan 8 are also know as “The Bugs Bunny’s” because of the two straps that are on them. The Air Jordan 8 retros were one of the most anticipated retros ever released. Michael Jordan impacted the shoe industry in a big way but also played a role in children life such as mines. Michael Jordan is a big inspiration to me and somebody that I would be proud to look up to especially me being a young basketball player. Michael Jordan is an entrepreneur and a great basketball hall of gamer any person would live to be in his state right now. If I could do what he did and impact the world in such ways it would be a honor because people all over the world are wearing his shoes and making him more rich and wealthy even thoughtless doesn’t play basketball anymore.

Sports and other physical activities have innumerable physical health benefits. It can improve cardio respiratory and muscular fitness, bone health, increase life expectancy, and coronary health. Sports can also help prevent different types of cancer and weight gain. Sports can also have positive effects on mental health by reducing depression and improving cognitive function. Sports can give you long term weight loss and help avoid weight gain. Sports increases metabolic rates and can help increase lean body mass while you burn calories and get rid of excess fat. Sports can help you maintain a healthy weight. Between two and a half to five hours of moderately intensive physical activity can help achieve weight stability. High intensity sports can help people who want to lose weight or maintain a significant amount of weight loss. Sports can help people. Of all ages maintain and improve the health of their heart, lungs, and blood vessels. Physical activity can significantly reduce the risk of coronary disease and stroke. As you grow older, physical activity becomes more important for the health of your bones, muscles and joints. Building bone, muscle and joint strength is also important for kids . Sports can be a form of mental therapy for people with physiological disorders and depression. Sports may promote self- esteem in the form of positive perception of body image and self- worth. Sorts can decrease colon cancer by as much as 300 percent. It can also significantly decrease the risk of breast cancer, and might decrease the risk of lung cancer.

The Washington Capitals‘ last game with the Winniepeg Jets at the Verizon center ended up with a victory for the Capitals. They’re heading to the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the Southeast Division Champions. The same team that’s started the season with two wins in its first 13 games and entered play in 14th place, seven points removed from a playoff spot and nine points off the division lead, won its fifth division title in the past six years and locked up the number 3 seed in the Eastern conference by beating the Jets (5-3) on Tuesday at the Verizon center. Braden Holtby made 24 saves for the Capitals.

The Capitals are 14-2-1 in their past 17 games dating back to March 21, when they played the first of two in a row in Winnipeg. They won both by a combined 10-1 and haven’t looked back in taking over the division lead from the Jets. The Jets played their last game of the regular season Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens. Ovechkin had a combined 3 goals and five points in the last two games. Hendricks no. 5 gave Beagle no.6 an assists for the goal for the first points of the game. Ovechkin scores 2 straight points for the Capitals. Chimera scores the 4th goal for Washington to make the score (4-2). In the third period Perreault and Erskine both assisted each other with the final pints of the game and the Capitals come out with the win against the Winnipeg Jets for the final score of (5-3). With this win against the Winnipeg Jets the Washington Capitals clinched the first spot for the Southeast division and winning the division championship. Some people believe that the winning streak that the Capitals went on was nearly impossible about a month ago the way they where playing, but the Capitals bounced back and clinched a top spot in the division. Congratulations to the Capitals for their hard play!

The Get Kids Movin! Event showcased a variety of wonderful vendors that support health and fitness for youth and families across the Washington Metropolitan Area. C4 Belts, a China based belt company, has introduced a new wave of fashion for people who want to make a fashion statement for a cause. This stylish brand produces colorful belts made of recycled goods that caught my eye, and it will catch yours too! Here’s what co-founder, Robbie Hart, had to say about his innovative and charitable clothing line:

Robbie: Hello my name is Robbie Hart with C4 Belts. C4 stands for choose your color, choose your cause. So you can mix and match the belt and the buckle with any color combination that you want and every time you buy a belt, a portion goes to a charity of your choice.

Me: So, how are these belts made?

Robbie: It’s a thermoplastic, so these are very strong, very comfortable plastic and it comes in over 20 different colors.

Me: So, how did you come up with this idea?

Robbie: It was the colorful watches that inspired this, so I thought to myself, everybody is wearing colorful watches! Why not wear colorful belts also?

After interviewing with Robbie at Get Kids Movin and learning more about C4 Belts, I was very inspired. I was especially impressed by the eco-friendly materials that are used in the production of the colorful belts. This makes the fashion line a hit in the community and in the environment, and what better way to make a fashion statement than that!

I’m Anthony Tilghman. I’m a photographer, and embedded entrepreneur. My product is called Rebirth Energy Drink. It says the flavor that adds new life is pretty much the new energy drink. It is actually available at Sports Zone locations. You can check the website at www.drinkrebirth.com for more locations. I came up with the name Rebirth about a year ago because I don’t drink alcohol, so I was trying to find a product that pretty much markets me, as well as somebody that does not drink alcohol. So, I created Rebirth energy drink to help give back to local people who go to clubs and have fun that don’t drink, but also want to have that great flavor of an energy drink that they can relate to. So just try some. Just try it out, it’s a flavor that adds new life if you try it, you’ll love it. I guarantee it. You can also visit my website www.anthonytilghman.com for more information. I do photography and marketing so I do a lot of different things. So support business owners, support Rebirth, support Sports Zone, support me, love the kids. The kids definitely are a big part of our future, so hopefully they can be entrepreneurs of their own and create their own business. That is what it is about get fit, getting out there, marketing yourself and having fun doing it.

Last Friday, No.2 Georgetown played No.15 Florida Gulf Coast in the NCAA tournament. No.15 Florida Gulf Coast performed a stunning victory with a win against No.2 Georgetown with the score (78-68). Florida Gulf Coast has never won a tournament, so they made history by beating Georgetown. Georgetown Hoyas didn’t take this lightly. Georgetown lost the second game in the NCAA tournament to rank as the #15 team. Georgetown Hoyas’ star player, Otto Porter, the Big East Player of the Year, struggled with his shooting 5 for 17 and finishing with 13 points. This is Georgetown’s second upset defeat at Wells Fargo in Philadelphia this month. Georgetown Hoyas suffered a (67-57) loss to Villanova on the same floor on March 6. Florida Gulf Coast Eagles took control with a 21-2 run that gave them a 52-33 lead with 12:28 to play in the game, though the Hoyas went on a scoring streak to get within 72-68 with 52 seconds left. It was another disappointing NCAA exit for the Hoyas (25-7), who have lost to a double digit seed in their last four appearances.

Markel Starks had 23 points for the Hoyas. Sherwood Brown scored 24 points and Bernard Thompson had 23 points to lead Florida Gulf Coast to an incredible NCAA debut, a (78-68) win over second seeded Georgetown on Friday night in the second round of the South Regional NCAA tournament. Florida Gulf Coast is in their second season of being eligible for Division 1 and postseason became the seventh seed. Florida Gulf Coast will play the winner of the game between seventh seed San Diego State and No.10 Oklahoma on Sunday.

The nature and extent of climatic changes not only hinders human development and environmental conservation, but also forms a major threat to human health. Globally, approximately 2 billion people were aﬀected by natural or technological disasters in the period of 1990–1999, with almost 600 000 fatalities. More than 86% of people killed by disasters during this period succumbed to natural events. Windstorms claimed the largest proportion of lives (35%) while ﬂoods accounted for the largest proportion of people aﬀected (75%). Women comprise 70% of those living below the poverty line. As a result, they are most likely to bear the heaviest burdens when natural disasters strike. At the same time, women are more often overlooked as potential contributors to climate change solutions, and thus to the security of all human beings. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PRSD) and major depression were also common in the affected area. Sleep disturbance and other reactions to severe stress are more common among the children. Psychosocial and mental health problems are particularly important for low income countries, which face a high burden of illness due to infectious disease, greater socio-economic disparities, and have limited resources for mental health care. The psychosocial and mental health impacts of these disasters have been exacerbated by the multiple losses due to disaster and subsequent stressful life events and consequent uncertainty of the future. Inadequate number of mental health professionals in the country and their unavailability of data-base of their place of residence also realized as a major hindrance in providing mental health service provisions recognizing the importance of mental health problems in the affected area the following aspects should be taken into account. A clear set of strategies and line of command for management of psychosocial care and mental health programs in the disaster situations are urgently needed.

The 5th Annual DC Tap Festival held at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts was, I quote, “live and well over luxurious.” Attending this event opened my eyes to something new. As I went backstage where the performers were, they were more than positively energized. When I was watching them practice, something special stood out to me; their vibes. These performers were the definitions of living a healthy lifestyle. You could clearly tell that the tap dancers were in impeccable shape. They were often energetic, healthy, and happy. What a beautiful combination. The performers’ smiles were glowing and their personality was enthusiastic. Everything was live and this created a wonderful environment to be in. They made me want to go onstage with them. At the event, healthy snacks and drinks were being sold to top things off. I had the wonderful opportunity to interview with Grammy Award Winning Recording Artist, Mya, who was an incredible inspiration and joy to meet. I also learned that two professional tap dancers and sisters, Chloé and Maud Arnold, founded the DC Tap Festival in 2009 with the mission to unite tap dancers from around the world and to raise awareness about tap as an art form. This event was wonderful and showed everyone how tap dancing keeps you in great shape and positively impacts healthy living.

I had the once in a lifetime opportunity to interview with Grammy Award Winning Recording Artist, Mya, at the 5th Annual DC TapFest held at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Listening to her responses inspired me even more to want to stay in shape, and in good shape at that! Here are some inspirational health and fitness tips that the beautiful Grammy Award winner shared with MECKids, along with wonderful insight into the world of dance and how it contributes to mind, body and spiritual wellness!

1.) What inspired you to stay healthy?

– When I feel better, I feel better

– When I feel better, I look better

– When I feel better, I do better

– When I feel better, I am better

2.) What would you consider the best part about staying healthy?

Prolonging life and experiencing a rich one. A life of junk, clutter, negative energy and self-inflicted abuse with lack of proper diet exercise results in disease and cancer.

3.) What do you enjoy most about dance?

Freedom to birth something into existence that may touch another and resonate within a compartment of their soul.

These responses have influential inspiration for children, teens, and adults to understand how staying fit and healthy effects their lives in great and positive ways! I’m so thrilled to have had this golden opportunity to interview this beautiful superstar, who shines both on stage and in the community. She even autographed a copy of her new album, K.I.S.S, for me and I LOVE it! Mya’s advice has left a wonderful lasting impression that will be my daily mantra for staying fit and living a healthy, fruitful life!

Ever heard of NCCPUD? National Capital Coalition to Prevent Underage Drinking? If you haven’t, shame on you! Just kidding.

Not only am I a MEC Kid ambassador but I am also a NCCPUD advocate. At NCCPUD we endorse healthy lifestyles by not only preventing underage drinking and unhealthy activities such as smoking and drinking, but also by showing them what they could and should be participating in instead. Some activities would include joining organizations such as NCCPUD and MECKids which can help you engage into wonderful positive activities, as well as staying active. These events influence teens to understand that a positive lifestyle is the better way to go. Keeping your body fit does not only mean eating healthy and staying active but also maintaining a positive lifestyle that will create a better future for you.

A few mascots and logos in American professional sports invoke controversy, such as the Washington Redskins. Some claim that it represents the history of Native Americans, and some people believe it’s’ racist and highly offensive. This controversy about the Washington Redskins has been going on for many years, but the mascot has remained since 1933, when it originated in Boston prior to them moving to Washington, D.C.

The controversy has very deep roots. Even though they had this name for most of its history, the name and mascot has really started to become a problem in 1922. 25 years after the Redskins originally trademarked the brand, a group of Native Americans filed a lawsuit against the team’s name. The case was later dismissed after the Supreme Court refused to take it up. Years later, after the team was attempting to build a new stadium in Washington, D.C, and Senator Ben Campbell introduced legislation that would have required the team to change the name before building the stadium in D.C. The owner Jack Cooke, did not comply, and eventually moved the construction outside the city. Throughout the Redskins history, the government, social groups, and Native Americans have attempted to get the name changed. So far none of them has even gotten close to getting the name changed. If the Redskins were forced to change, they are thinking about changing it to the Warriors. The logo wouldn’t have to change that much, or the colors, just the name would be changed. Also, if they were forced to change the name, the Braves could be a serious option. The team originated in 1932 as the Boston Braves, but a year later they changed it to the Boston Redskins. After four years the team moved to Washington. This will satisfy a lot of people because the name the Braves is not using Native American imagery in their logos or mascots.

I was happy to read in the newspaper about a study that was recently published about the impact of recess and free play; it is good for children on the physical, social and educational levels. Many students have lost the required 20 minutes of free play and 40 minutes of organized physical education due to the need to work on testing requirements. This time varies from state to state with some states having no required physical education. Let’s have our kids put down the electronics and GO OUTSIDE!!

When you read the labels on foods in your supermarket, it’s no surprise that you find plenty of sugar in products like cake mix, ice cream, jelly, cookies, and soda. But it can be downright shocking to see 12 grams of sugar in bottled pasta sauce or barbecue sauce — and even more so to find 50 grams of sugar in a healthy-sounding bottled tea!

Just because there’s a nutrition-oriented statement on the package (like “contains whole grain,” “excellent source of calcium,” “fat-free,” “100% juice” or “25% less sugar”) doesn’t mean it doesn’t contain a shocking amount of sugar. And just because the brand name or product name sounds like it’s good for weight loss (Weight Watchers, Skinny Cow, etc.), don’t assume the food is lower in sugar.

So how much exactly is a gram of sugar? One teaspoon of granulated sugar equals 4 grams of sugar. To put it another way, 16 grams of sugar in a product is equal to about 4 teaspoons of granulated sugar. Keep in mind, though, that the grams of sugar listed on the nutrition information label includes natural sugars from fruit (fructose) and milk (lactose) as well as added sweeteners like refined sugar or high-fructose corn syrup. That’s why the label on a carton of regular low-fat milk says there’s 13 grams of sugar per cup. And that’s why the grams of sugar per serving in Raisin Bran (or any cereal with raisins or other dried fruit) seem unexpectedly high.

Now that students have created their movement piece about their hero, have them present to each other. To further advance the meaning, have students bring in an artifact that represents their hero (like a picture or an object). Students will lean towards people that are not living. Express to them the hero can still be living AND the dances can be happy! Whatever the hero or dance, the purpose is to convey meaning!! Use the peer evaluation as a tool to edit and re-edit the dances. Once this has taken place, record the dances and have students do a self evaluation:

Did the piece convey the intended meaning? Was the movement story clear?

Have students brainstorm about their personal hero. Is it their parents, classmate, pet, someone from pop culture? Whoever it is- it’s OK! Have students write an essay explaining their choice- what makes them special? How have they impacted their life? Do they have any special personality traits or funny habits?

My example to my students: I used to have a dance teacher that used to take a picture of herself in a bikini every year on her birthday (she did this until she was 80).

Why?

Because she always wanted to be honest about her body.

Students will select music that represents the essay and create a movement piece!!

Who did your students pick as their hero? Who is your hero and what would your movement piece include?

Whether you are a man or a woman, young or old, we all need a little inspiration or an internal boost. We are constantly inundated with how we should look on the outside, often at the expense of our internal beauty. How are you looking? When’s the last time you took a good look at your internal mirror? Well just as often as we take a look in the mirror to make sure everything is intact physically, we should do the same internally. Here are some good questions that can help you get started with your evaluation:

How do I view myself?

How do I view others?

How do I treat the people I love?

Do I take good care of my health?

Am I happy?

It’s a good idea to discuss these questions with someone close to you that you trust. If you find that your inner self could use some tweaking, don’t fret! Knowing is half the battle! Just as we look in the mirror and see a hair out of place and fix it, the same thing can be done with our internal beauty. It can be fixed; you just have to look in that mirror.

So make your internal beauty a priority! Get that friend you trust to help you measure your progress.

You see, it’s nice to look good on the outside, but the most beautiful people are beautiful from the inside out!

One of the things that I love about DWTS is the fact that it brings dance and specifically ballroom dance to a new audience. An easy way to start a unit is with the lindy swing, which is 2 steps and a ball change or back step. Once you teach the basics to your students- let them figure out the mirror image- first with no hands-just facing each other. Then try a simple hand to hand connection-palm up for the leader and hands down for the follower. Another great footnote is sanitation first- clean hands always!! You can try a variety of music styles not just big bands- let the kids try current music. Remember- the learner owns the learning!!

It’s easy to think that losing weight is hard…And it is, but what most don’t realize is that just a few minutes of light weight exercise can go a long way. Even if you feel you don’t have time, you do. You just have to MAKE time to be active! Just because you have to be active, doesn’t mean you have to push yourself to do things that you can’t or do not want to do. Playing sports, dancing, or even going for a 10 minute walk before your meal can help with losing weight. Its a step by step process and takes time to increase your intensity, but that’s okay. As long as you try to be more active and follow your plan you will be well on your way to your goal weight!

In this blog I am going to focus on diet commercials and diet pills. When I watch TV all I see are commercials about losing weight. I feel like I see commercials about Weight Watchers, Nutra System, Slim Quick, and Green Tea Extract supplements ALL OF THE TIME. Since these commercials are so catchy, I decide to Google more information on these types of programs/pills that can help you loose weight. As I look up information I find that if you are young, all you have to do is eat right and exercise, these programs are not for young people. This can relate to MECKids’ message because their mission is to get children to exercise and eat right. Some kids may think that’s not the easy way, but if you really think about it exercising and eating right is the healthiest way for young people to loose weight and stay in shape. So in the mean time….

Shake that Bagel Don’t wanna Be a couch Potato MOVE MOVE

Greeting Stampees! You won’t believe what I’ve found while perusing the internet. I actually came across a cleanser that is made for post-workout. Due to the oil build-up and sweat from working out, our skin often overloads and lands us with a ton of acne. Well, this might be the answer to our skin enemy! The name of this cleanser is: Stellar Performance Post Workout Cleanser. This cleanser promises to infuse your skin with antibacterial, powerful antioxidants, astringents and moisturizing properties while leaving your skin extremely clean without dryness. I haven’t used this product personally, but I plan on it for these reasons:

No synthetic or petrochemicals. No exthoxlates, formaldehyde donors, parabens, dyes, or artificial fragrance

Removes deep down debris from sweat that clogs pores and causes dullness

Detoxifies, nourishes and hydrates skin

Helps cure acne caused by exercise. *For acne, use on a daily basis twice a day for a week for noticeable results.

Removes stubborn make-up *If you must wear make-up during a workout this cleanser is highly recommended as your post workout cleanser.

Helps prevent athlete’s foot

Suitable for all skin types including sensitive

Will not dry skin with frequent use

Approximately 4-5 month supply (8oz)

Yes, we need to work out, but it’s an added bonus to look fabulous while you’re doing it. Be sure to check Medica’s Steller Performance Post Workout Cleanser today. This is a sure win to add to your gym bag.

Fight the Flu With Foods

It’s that time of year where it seems that kids seem to catch colds and school class numbers seem to dwindle. But there are plenty of steps you can take to try to prevent illness this winter!

1. Limit refined sugar.

Sugar suppresses our immune system by causing a 50% drop in our ability to fight off bacteria and germs.

2. Increase healthy fats.

Our skin dries, our lips chap and our digestive tracts get dry, which causes our bodies to produce more mucous. Where there is mucous, there are colds and flu. Try to add more healthy fats such as the omega-3s found in salmon, walnuts and flax seeds.

3. Add onion, garlic, and ginger to everything!

These are natural immune boosters that can be added to any dish to add flavor without calories!

4. Drink water.

When our bodies are dehydrated, we are much more susceptible to colds. Water flushes bacteria and viruses from our throats, stomachs and digestive tracts.

5. Avoid dairy.

Dairy prompts our bodies to produce mucous that becomes a breeding ground for bacteria. We can’t avoid the bacteria and viruses floating in the air, but we can help our bodies to ignore them.